Dearest friends,
We can often think that the Saints are so far removed from our lives. They are heroes from a remote time, from a different place, from a different reality.
Yes, they have lots to teach us, but their heroic sacrifices and displays of faith are simply too lost in the mist of time to be relevant to us today.
In thinking this we miss the modern Saints. Those who have come before us whose shining example of faith and love will leave us floored and crying.
We have two such Saints to consider in the coming weeks. St. Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
Both these amazing people are not remote to us – they are very real – both being deeply involved with events in the 20th Century. Saints we have photos and videos of. Saints we can see and almost touch.
St. Benedica was a Christian convert from a large Jewish family in Poland. She became a nun in the Carmel Order and given the political situation in Germany at the time she was moved to a convent in Holland.
When the Nazis invaded Holland she, along with her sister, was arrested and sent to Auschwitz where she died in 1942.
St. Maximilian also found himself at Auschwitz. Also from Poland he was ordained Priest in 1918 and set about promoting dedication to Our Lady in that country. He founded monasteries in Japan and India and when war came to Poland he staid to open a hospital. He was arrested because he would not surrender to the German authorities and their ideals.
He ultimately gave his life in the place of a Jewish man with a family. He died a slow painful death in place of another.
These stories are real, they are not remote. They inspire us to be heroes in our day.
Fr. Matthew
Notices
Joint BBQ
It’s that time of year when we invite you all to the vicarage garden for a little bbq and picnic. We’d love to welcome you to our home and to join us for a hot dog & burger and some special treats. Please bring a chair, and if you’d like more than just a burger or hot dog please bring that as well! Experts will be on hand do the cooking…
Service Times
From Sunday 7th September service times will move to 9am and St. John’s and 11am at St. Luke’s. I continue to work on a solution that would allow both churches to return to a 10am mass, but that is some way off. Thank you for your support in making this work.
St. Luke’s Family Fun Day
We had a great planning meeting this week and will be inviting families to our great big picnic and fun day on the 16th August. Posters and leaflets will be available very soon from the back of St. Luke’s – please take them and hand them out to the families you know. The fun day will run from 2pm-5pm and if you could turn up about an hour before hand, or stay for a short time afterwards we’d really appreciate any help you could offer setting up and taking down. It’s a very simple affair this year, just a few fun stalls, an obstacle course, face painting, hook a duck, a coconut shy, splat the rat, and the stocks (thanks Mick!) We’ll have a BBQ and sell ice creams. A great opportunity to invite friends to church for a fabulous fun day out!
Sunday 3rd August
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 🟢
9:15am – Sung Parish Mass [SJ]
11am – Sung Parish Mass [SL]
Divine Office Psalter Week 2, C(I), Trinity 7, Proper 13
Upcoming Dates
August
10th – BBQ in the Vicarage Garden, after mass at St. Luke’s
14th – Summer BBQ Planning Meeting, 6pm [SJ]
16th – Summer Family Fun Day [SL]
17th – Evensong, 6pm [SJ]
21st – Explorers Planning Meeting, 6pm [SJ]
31st – Joint Mass, 10am [SJ]
Summer BBQ, 1pm – 5pm [SJ]
Evensong, West Ogwell Church (TQ12 6EW), 5:30pm
September
25th – Autumn / Christmas Planning Meeting, 7pm, [WH]
No Ladies Group in August
No midweek mass during August instead, Coffee & Natter, Tuesday’s [SJ] & Wednesday’s [SL] 10am
St. Luke’s Men’s Group meets every Friday for mass at 10am anddiscussion afterwards. [SL]